Karachi IT Park Has Failed to Attract a Single Bidder, Now the Government Is Auditing Why

Pakistan’s Karachi IT Park has been put to tender multiple times. Not a single contractor has submitted a bid. After years of silence on why, the Ministry of IT is finally asking the question out loud.

The Pakistan Software Export Board has issued an Expression of Interest inviting consultancy firms to conduct a third-party audit of the project’s feasibility documents, engineering design, cost estimates, and technical specifications. A new bidding round will only be launched after the review is complete.

A PKR 31 Billion Project Going Nowhere

The Karachi IT Park was approved by ECNEC in June 2021 at an estimated cost of over Rs31 billion. It was supposed to be completed by June 2026. That deadline has passed. Physical completion currently stands at just 10% and financial utilisation at 5%. The only work completed on the ground so far is boundary wall construction and land surveys.

The bidding process has been conducted twice. No company participated in either round. That outcome prompted the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT to formally express dissatisfaction, with Committee Chairman Syed Amin-ul-Haque criticising the Ministry of IT and PSEB for their handling of the project.

Design Changes Added to the Complications

Part of the problem traces back to design revisions. The Civil Aviation Authority raised objections to the original building height and layout, forcing changes to the structural plans after the Korean consultant had already completed the initial design. Those revisions introduced additional complexity into the project documentation, the kind of ambiguity that makes it difficult for contractors to accurately cost a bid.

The NA committee observed that delays are continuously driving up project costs and directed the ministry to present a detailed progress report, including the project’s current status, obstacles, proposed way forward, and an expected completion timeline.

What the Audit Will Cover

The third-party review will independently examine the project’s feasibility study, engineering design, cost framework, and all key technical documents before construction begins. The Ministry of IT has also sought Rs11.5 billion for the project under the PSDP for the next financial year, though actual construction cannot begin until the audit concludes and a fresh tender attracts contractors.

What Completion Would Mean

When finished, the Karachi IT Park is designed to provide modern business facilities to over 200 technology companies, making it the largest IT infrastructure project of its kind in Pakistan outside of Islamabad. The facility is planned across 111,000 square metres to support startups, SMEs and technology professionals.

That potential remains real. Whether the third-party audit can finally produce documentation clear enough to bring contractors to the table is the question the next few months will answer.